Ministry seeks developer of stalled project

The Star 20/6/2000 By Jessinta Tan and Ng Su-Ann

PENANG: The Housing and Local Government Ministry is trying to track down the developer of the stalled RM300mil Fettes Villa project in Mount Erskine.

Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said the developer had not responded to the ministry's queries pertaining to housebuyers' complaints that they were still waiting for the project to take off after four years.

"The developer should be responsible in coming forward to work out a solution,'' he told reporters after a dialogue with the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce here on Sunday night.

Ong was responding to complaints by purchasers of Fettes Villa condominiums and low-medium-cost units over the delay by developer Gerwaris Sdn Bhd.

The condominium project was to have been completed in April last year while the low-medium-cost project was due last December.

In a related development, Fettes Villa condominium pro tem committee chairman Ong Kean Wah said purchasers were considering legal action against the developer to recover their downpayment of between RM12,000 and RM15,000 each.

On Sunday, Ong had led a group of housebuyers to complain to The Star that there was no progress since a meeting was arranged with the developer at Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon's office in November.

Ong said Dr Koh had informed the housebuyers then that a committee involving the Government, developer, purchasers, and bank would be set up and would hold its first meeting within three weeks to resolve the issue.

"Today, more than six months later, the committee has not even been set up and we have not been called for any meeting,'' he added.